Upgrading MDD file server - what to get?

[bryanus]

I have a Dualie MDD 1.25GHz running OS X Tiger Server as a file server for my small office.

It's got two 500GB IDE drives in it in a mirrored configuration.

I have a feeling the power supply is acting up and is on its last legs. It shuts itself down maybe 3 times a day lately. I'm going to investigate that issue a bit more, but I've started thinking about replacing the computer altogether.

I don't need much horsepower for my file server needs, but I believe the 1.25GHz MDDs (and possibly the 1.0GHz models) were the only ones that are natively capable of drives larger than 128GB.

That makes my replacement options a bit limited. I can either buy another MDD off craigslist for around $300-350, a power supply from eBay for $175+ (if that's the culprit), or go with something different/newer.

What options do I have in terms of an upgrade to the MDD that can handle the IDE drives I already have, and that makes financial sense in terms of the money I would be shelling out for either a replacement MDD or a replacement power supply?

TIA.

[jdc]

all MDDs can see larger IDE drives, as well as 2002 and new Quicksilvers (800, 933, dual 1 gig)

might find an 867 for cheap?

with a $80 SATA card, can see four 1.5TB SATA drives

[Buzz]

or a fair bit less for a plain PATA/IDE card for an early QS or earlier G4 that might be had for less than a MDD power supply to reuse your existing drives...

[Spock]

bryanus wrote:
It shuts itself down maybe 3 times a day lately. I'm going to investigate that issue a bit more, but I've started thinking about replacing the computer altogether.

TIA.

Could be overheating. Have you cleaned out the dust bunnies recently?

[JoeH]

Or checked to see that all fans are working?

[incognegro]

why not a dedicated NAS? (just a file server, right?)

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/netw...rastation/

[jdc]

incognegro wrote:
why not a dedicated NAS? (just a file server, right?)

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/netw...rastation/

very few NAS drives approach the speed of a nice MDD -- and at $500 for a cheap one -- well, they arent cheap...

[bryanus]

Oh for some reason I thought the 867's didn't have that capability. Good to know, and would be fine for a file server, too. Also cheaper, at nearly the price of the power supply alone(!).

I did give it a good dusting today, but it was pretty clean throughout. All fans were working. I also ran temperature monitor and the temps seemed normal to me and based on what research I could find on MDD temps.

Thanks guys.

jdc wrote:
all MDDs can see larger IDE drives, as well as 2002 and new Quicksilvers (800, 933, dual 1 gig)

might find an 867 for cheap?

with a $80 SATA card, can see four 1.5TB SATA drives

[Mr645]

I have a 466 G4 working as a file server. Works well but it also started shutting down without warning. I had 4 250GB drives in it and was powering an Apple 17" ACD LCD and a second Generic monitor from it's 4MX video card (from a newer Mac). I unplugged the Apple ADC monitor and the power supply has been ok for the past month. Perhaps you can lighten the load as well and get some more time out of her?

[bryanus]

well mine only has the two drives in it, plus the dvd and an older ati 700 video card. But there is no monitor attached or kybrd/mouse. I run it headless via Apple Remote Desktop. All it does is file serving duties, so I would imagine the load is rather "light" for a rather heavy duty Mac. It only has _maybe_ 3 users connected at a time, and that's only to retrive occasional files and for backup purposes.

Did you have an IDE card in the G4 to run those drives?